Izzy's Death

In an attempt to get Kennedy to actually sleep in her bed or even in her room we offered to buy her a pet if she'd stay out of our bed. After a week we headed to the pet store, lucky for me we talked her out of the lizards and other cold blooded animals and toward a nice hamster/ Guinea pig type creature. With the store associates help we decided on rats. Seems they are not only smarter and much more durable (think squeezing dropping, etc) they were also a mere $10 a piece. We took one home then decided that one, Snickers, would be lonely. So back to the pet store we go the next day and chose Izzy, an albino rat, to keep Snickers company. That was about 3 years ago. Since they came home Kennedy has missed very few nights in my bed. Once we finally found a cage they couldn't eat through they became a quiet and somewhat stinky part of our lives. The cleaning and care of the rats and their cage of course fell under my jurisdiction so I've been trying to find a nice home for them. No luck.
Fast forward to Wednesday August 10 2011.
Jaben comes in the kitchen, "Babe, Izzy's dead"
Me-you sure?
JD-yep, she's flopped out on the shelf
Me- what happened?
JD-I don't know she wouldn't answer me when I asked.
Me- smart ass
JD- should we call Sis in and tell her?
Me- after dinner
At dinner- Sis of course is rushing to swallow and run so she doesn't miss anything going on in the neighborhood. We tried to be gentle about telling her, the death of your first pet can be tough.  But true to her heritage she wouldn't shut up long enough to be sensitive so Jaben blurted it out.
She was shocked, we discussed the usual-how, when, were we sure. Again sensitivity not being Jaben's strong suit, he did the best he could. She wanted to bury her and Jaben had already found a satin box just perfect for the occasion. There was some concern over where the burial could take place since our dogs are known to be inquisitive, we wouldn't want to come home and find a fresh corpse in the drive.
Jaben found a spot in the front yard outside of the dogs invisible fence providing a little sanctity for the grave.
I started texting the family to keep them apprised of the situation.
The following is the exchange:
8:08 Its with a sad heart that I share the news of Izzy the Rat's passing to the big cheese in the sky.
8:09  We're preparing for the service. Jaben is thrilled to be digging a hole and has announced that Cassie must go on a diet before she bites it. *Mr Sensitivity then asks me to check with the vet on the cost of cremation for Cassie, she's getting pretty old*
8:12 Kennedy is hanging in there. She's preparing for the service, changing in to a black dress. Not sure how long the mourning will last.
*The neighborhood kids all begin gathering, the girls bringing out their best black dresses.
Jaben and I are standing in the garage and out comes Kennedy with Izzy in the box stuffed with a pillow and notes from the kids. Kennedy's note asks Izzy to say hi to GG for her. I'm thinking that my grandmother, God rest her soul, hated animals and if she saw a rat in heaven make that a talking rat she'd probably think she'd landed in her own version of hell.
Anyway when Jaben asked her what she was doing, the box top had been removed. She then announced with an eye roll  that it was an open casket.*
8:13 She just announced its going to be an open casket. I guess we're having a viewing
*All the kids cluster around saying nice things about Izzy. Jaben and I were laughing so hard in the garage I had tears rolling. Sis was master of ceremonies and trying to decide the next steps in the funeral process.*
8:16 Lmao. I'm laughing so hard I have tears rolling down my face. Luckily she thinks I'm distraught. Seriously were having services.
8:18 Music choices are discussed. Amazing Grace is a favorite.
8:22 OMG we just sang Amazing Grace.
Good turnout. Nine kids and the dogs howled all the way through it.

Kennedy refuses to let anyone else fill in the grave. She does it herself while Neko brings flowers from the surrounding yards to decorate her grave. Finally, a garden rock is placed as a temporary headstone.

Wow, I say a prayer for my heart broken daughter and a silent apology to God for singing Amazing Grace over the burial site of our pet rat. Mostly though I'm so thankful that God has a sense of humor.

JD-